Our addiction to growth and tech fixes spells doom

38
508

I read this thought-provoking article the other day, which confirmed my gut feeling about the source of our environmental problems.

The source of our biggest problems isn’t climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution or deforestation. It is economic overshoot – our addiction to economic growth at all costs – without considering the damaging effect it has on our surroundings. Simply put, we are probably consuming too much that we will need a few planets to sustain our lifestyles.

Technology will not save us. It can mitigate the impact for a while.

Solar panels, hybrid cars, electric cars etc will not solve the problem of resource depletion, deforestation, air and sea pollution. Climate change is a major symptom of our addiction to unsustainable consumption – and growth.

There is a limit to ‘growth’. We cannot go on the same way: there is no way we can have infinite growth in a finite planet – unless we want to move to another hospitable planet a zillion miles away. If we are to change the system and save Planet Earth, there must first be a moral awakening in this world, as this article exhorts from EcoWatch.com exhorts us: Systemic change driven by moral awakening is our only hope

Please help to support this blog if you can.

Read the commenting guidlelines for this blog.
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

38 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Jerome
Jerome
7 Sep 2017 10.47am

In 2012, when the proportion of Americans who own smartphones surpassed 50%, leading to abrupt changes in teen behaviour and emotional states. In the big national surveys of teens, there started to be some pretty sudden changes in the ways teens use their time and how they said they were feeling in their mental health. Among other things, teens are not hanging out as much with friends, in no rush to drive, dating less, having less sex, and getting less sleep. Most alarming, despite their continual connectivity, they are lonely. And rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed since… Read more »

Heng
Heng
1 Sep 2017 11.53am

Tech helps to prevent loneliness death so common in Japan as those who live alone can be preoccupied with gadgets to avoid sudden death undetected at homes.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodokushi

http://nationalpost.com/news/world/the-lonely-end-in-aging-japan-thousands-die-alone-and-unnoticed-every-year

Gregory
Gregory
2 Sep 2017 1.26pm
Reply to  Heng

Singapore: Wireless sensor technology to help keep an eye on elderly residents

Wireless sensor technology has been launched in two HDB studio apartments to track elderly residents’ movements.

The new technology has sensors that can detect movements as well as track sleeping patterns such as snoring and breathing. It also has a remote server that is paired to the phones of families and caregivers.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/wireless-sensor-technology-to-help-keep-an-eye-on-elderly-reside-7715760

Gregory
Gregory
26 Aug 2017 2.11pm

Najib’s Super High Income Programme (SHIP) will provide middle-class bumiputera a monthly income exceeding RM20,000!

https://www.ihrnet.com/najiblaunchessuperhighincomeprogrammeforbumiputeras/

With that salary, one can afford 5 units of iPhone/iPad a month. No need to shuttle daily to Singapore to earn S$.

tunglang
26 Aug 2017 9.35pm
Reply to  Gregory

Again another race-based carrot!
How to inspire all Malaysians???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Another Blue Ocean Strategy to Holland!

Ferret
Ferret
27 Aug 2017 1.05pm
Reply to  tunglang

Election gimmick.

XiaoWei
XiaoWei
27 Aug 2017 3.19pm
Reply to  tunglang

Tell MCA and Gerakan about it.
Penang folks please do not be deceived by BN.

Savi
Savi
27 Aug 2017 11.09am
Reply to  Gregory

Baba Nyonya and Mamaks could be bumiputeras soon if they vote for MO1 to ensure BN victory in GE14?

A quarter of local graduates mostly bumiputeras from IPTA is currently jobless. Obviously their sills and qualifications are not relevant to the market needs. How to command RM20K salary, when they could not get the RM2K job? Better go to Singapore to work as cleaners.

Bobby
Bobby
27 Aug 2017 11.30am
Reply to  Gregory

Very frustrating to have Ringgit that has very low purchasing power for imported gadgets. A RM2000 smartphone is now considered as mid-range phone as Samsung Note8 is RM3999 minimum.
Young generation may not feel it as they have no idea that Ringgit used to be on par with Singapore Dollar, or USD used to be only RM3.20.
Our nation has regressed under BN, still want them to fool you another 30 years with the TN50 bait?

Eric Kuek
Eric Kuek
24 Aug 2017 6.54am

8 Dangers of Social Media:
https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech/8-dangers-social-media-were-not-willing-admit

1. Validation
2. Comparison
3. Bitterness
4. Caring for the wrong things
5. Noise
6. Convenient friendship
7. Wasting time
8. Isolation

Denise
Denise
27 Aug 2017 1.21pm
Reply to  Eric Kuek

Good one. The real consequences of social media maybe 5-6 years down the road?

glissantia
glissantia
23 Aug 2017 3.02pm

It is not just growth. The factors include capitalist motives (greed, insecurity), capitalist methods (exploitation, short-cuts, planned obsolescence), capitalist effects (growth, illnesses, devastation, poverty), fascist collusion (rigged competition, tyranny), social inertia (including population growth), and propaganda (climate denial, economics, communalism and censorship – all brought to you by the “free” press/world). Leading capitalist governments still want to stimulate growth – through ever more outrageous concessions to the “job creators”. Colonisation is getting difficult to disguise, expensive and poor in returns: see Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. As realised in the early 20th century, it is cheaper to devour domestic populations,… Read more »

glissantia
glissantia
27 Aug 2017 7.50pm
Reply to  glissantia
glissantia
glissantia
27 Aug 2017 8.16pm
Reply to  glissantia

Yet more great news showing that
– businesses are persons
– they (the “free” market) and democratic gomens look out for the interests of the public
– all you need is.. growth.

Perhaps you think this applies to big, bad USA, not Boleland where everything is coming up roses.

glissantia
glissantia
29 Aug 2017 3.04pm
Reply to  glissantia
Heng
Heng
23 Aug 2017 1.22pm

Buzzing today in high tech world that as GE14 is nearing, many social bloggers have been warned to toe the line.

Expect Anil to write more on food, drinks, arts and avoid local politics ?

bumi non malay
23 Aug 2017 7.58am

Perhaps better have Birth Control;.. there is no secret Malaysia is Barang naik nation and slowly following Zimbabwe, Sudan-somalia, pakistan….Good for the break up and let each 12 nation find their own Path to riches like Singapore!!…keep najib in power and have Lee choong Wei represent MCA in GE14….Like a stupid blogger suggested……Seriously who likes the UMNO-PAS-BN(…Barang Naik) team??

Jerome
Jerome
23 Aug 2017 2.45pm
Reply to  bumi non malay

Nothing wrong to assume a sports personality like Lee Chong Wei (might run) as MCA GE candidate, it has happened before:

Ex-footballer towkay Soh Chin Aun once tried to make it in politics by contesting to be the Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka representing MCA of BN in 1986 but he suffered a defeat of 17,606 votes to Lim Guan Eng of DAP.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soh_Chin_Aun

Hint: LCW is in the MCA’s ThumbsUp4Msia campaign.

Bobby
Bobby
27 Aug 2017 11.32am
Reply to  Jerome

Lin Dan can be in the final but Chong Wei is knocked out in first round. BAM can explain why?

tunglang
23 Aug 2017 7.32am

Are iPads turning babies into insomniacs? How touchscreens are costing infants sleep
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2017/08/23/are-ipads-turning-babies-into-insomniacs-how-touchscreens-are-costing-infants-sleep/#7o3pmP2XESlYuHjQ.99

Why not ask tech moguls, such as Steve Jobs, who famously limited his own children’s access to technology while the rest of us often fall under the thrall of the screen.

Personal Q: How many adults have access to or own an expensive iPad?

Jerome
Jerome
23 Aug 2017 10.37am
Reply to  tunglang

iPad is only expensive because our Ringgit is low in value. Those working in Singapore can get discounted iPad when signing up 4G data plan with SingTel or Starhub, pretty affordable as SingDollar is strong.

New 10th anniversary iPhone 8 launching next month will cost you almost RM5K (5 month salary of minimum wage earner!), even without endorsement from local selfie ambassador like Vivo. Expect diehard Apple fans to queue up overnight to be first to own the fancy gadget to show off on social media!

Heng
Heng
23 Aug 2017 11.01am
Reply to  tunglang

There are many Apple fanatics, who take pride being Mac fans who must get hold of latest e.g. iPhones.
Iphone 6 stock clearance as merdeka lelong now. Next iphone 7 to be cleared when ios11 iphone 8 on the way.

Version 8 to be above RM5K as ringgit diving in exchange vs US dollar.

Because of Apple binchui, price is not a problem with ease of loan via credit card instalment plan.

XiaoWei
XiaoWei
27 Aug 2017 3.18pm
Reply to  Heng

Many Chinese idolise Steve Job (iPhone) and Paul Walker (fast & furious) more than their parents who raise them.

Zain
Zain
23 Aug 2017 12.47pm
Reply to  tunglang

Huawei also expensive because Ringgit is low value for imported stuff. Terima Kasih 1MDB!

XiaoWei
XiaoWei
27 Aug 2017 3.28pm
Reply to  Zain

Can buy local brand tablet Joi.

glissantia
glissantia
23 Aug 2017 5.42pm
Reply to  tunglang

Not only ICT, also any form of constant stimulation including TV, background music, etc. This is part of the global experimentation for profit aka “modern human sacrifice”. We have no idea how these children will develop mentally. Youth already log their own activities and thoughts, as well as those of their associates, in great detail; the concept of privacy seems alien to them. Other experimentation includes food (fake, processed), additives, household chemicals, home materials including furnishing, nature of work, transport, ambient pollution, and … climate change. No one may challenge this situation in any serious way. Your duty is to… Read more »

SK59
SK59
25 Aug 2017 10.42am
Reply to  tunglang

Samsung Singapore has already revealed the official recommended retail price of the Galaxy Note8 and will begin taking pre-orders starting 25th of August 2017.

Samsung Singapore states that their Note8 will be priced at SGD1,398, which if you directly convert to Malaysian Ringgit, comes up to a whopping RM4,394. And this is for the base model with 64GB of internal storage as Singapore will not officially receive the 128GB or 256GB variant.

tunglang
22 Aug 2017 11.01pm

Live Simplicity Life, curb the Consumption Desire, do More Manual Tasking & relying less on hi-tech, exorcise the Kia Su Spirit (covetousness), skin the Bin Chui of Ego+Status, be Authentic You to the opposite sex or potential in-laws, break the Bondage of Social Media’s To-Be-Seen-To-Be-Too, Dream Not Big but Aspire To What Matters To Your Heart, & care for the fragile environment as the only liveable sanctuary in the entire Universe. Anil, going back to Nature is one way to live a full & balanced life again. I still wonder how the Nusantara Bunians are perennially happy & contented &… Read more »

Bobby
Bobby
27 Aug 2017 11.36am
Reply to  tunglang

How do you keep your family or lover satisfied with just hawker food during outings when you cannot give them a treat at the air conditioned restaurant offering the latest fancy food? This is a sad reality in modern times. No offence to you.

Kenneth
Kenneth
29 Aug 2017 2.59pm
Reply to  Bobby

Many become unhappy when seeing others posted their vacation and dining photos on social media, feeling depressed when cannot afford to keep up with others.

Gregory
Gregory
28 Aug 2017 11.07am
Reply to  tunglang

Unable to cover their families’ basic needs with their monthly wages, an increasing number of Malaysians are instead racking up credit card debts as their final lifeline before resorting to borrowing money from loan sharks and money lenders.

The Ministry of Finance recently reported that out of a total of 3.6 million Malaysians holding credit cards as of last June, a total of RM2.7 billion had been chalked up as overdue payments.

According to a New Straits Times report, 845 people aged 30 and above were declared bankrupt this year for failing to repay their credit card debts.

https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/12572/

Eric Kuek
Eric Kuek
22 Aug 2017 9.12pm

Lee Chong Wei is knocked out by world no 31 Brice Leverdez (France) in World Championship. Time for him to retire and represent MCA in GE14?

Heng
Heng
23 Aug 2017 7.30am
Reply to  Eric Kuek

LCW should retire while on top now legacy tainted.Nicole David plays on to earn living as she does not have godMAHter to ensure ROSy life..

LCW lost his grace attributing his loss to his opponent having good luck. Sore loser?

Zain
Zain
23 Aug 2017 12.49pm
Reply to  Eric Kuek

Embarrassing 1st round exit even with Misbun as coach. Should have stayed in KL to play in SEA Games?

Heng
Heng
22 Aug 2017 7.10pm

DATA is the new scientific frontier. As you read this blog or Twitter, someone is snooping on your personal data.

If you go back to watch The Matrix trilogy movies, such privacy invasion technique already happening to spell gloom if not doom for human civilisation.

However, more gloomy outlook as GE14 approaching as more scandals and unruly incidents waiting to happen in 7th month of hungry ghost festival.

Jerome
Jerome
23 Aug 2017 10.27am
Reply to  Heng

Anything personal data and pictures you place on ‘cloud storage’ however encrypted will no longer be private and become tools for big data analysis. More worrisome today is addiction to social media, posting pictures to show off to peers, from dining to overseas travel.

Gregory
Gregory
2 Sep 2017 6.45pm
Reply to  Heng

User data for the popular social media service Instagram has been leaked and is being sold online on a website for US$10 (RM42.70) each, according to a report by the technology news site Ars Technica today.

The news portal said it had been contacted regarding the website by a person who claims to have scraped together the data of six million Instagram users and compiled it into a searchable database.